Ernest William Lautsch

Ernest (“Ernie”) William Lautsch was born in Chowchilla, California on May 21st, 1945. He was the second son of Adeline (“Nena”) Elizabeth Ingalls Lautsch and John (“Johnny”) Walter Lautsch. He was raised in Chowchilla with his older brother John and younger sister Kim.

As an infant, Ernie would kick his crib with his little foot. His brother said it sounded like Thumper from the movie Bambi and thus Ernie’s nickname Thumper came to be. Thumper loved the country life of Chowchilla and spoke of going to the local dairies and tasting the cream on top of the milk in the milk canisters. He also enjoyed shooting rusty cans, looking for cross rocks, and getting into mischief down in the local slough.

Even as a child, Thumper’s inquisitive nature was evident. His knack for dismantling and reassembling everything from clocks to cars showcased his innate curiosity and mechanical aptitude. Ever handy, he made himself a doodlebug vehicle to zip around in that was a source of pride.

Thumper graduated from Chowchilla High School and briefly attended college. He then joined the Navy where he was stationed in Guam during the Vietnam War. He was a communication technician responsible for sending, receiving, and intercepting messages. While in Guam he soaked up the local beach scene snorkeling, strumming his guitar, and exploring the island.

After an honorable discharge, Thumper moved to San Francisco. He found a converted old Victorian to reside in right in the heart of the Haight-Ashbury district. He found his neighbors friendly and enjoyed the vibrant Haight-Ashbury scene.

While working at AAA as an automotive adjuster, he met his first wife Linda. He would call and serenade her with Hank Williams rendition of “Hey Good Lookin’”. They married and had two daughters Sandy and Nancy. Thumper loved being a family man and father to his girls. He also loved to garden and make home improvements to beautify his home.

Thumper loved to tinker. He could usually be found working away at his tool bench. Again, always taking things apart and putting them back together. He would come up with great ideas and inventions that he knew he would need to patent because he was sure they would make him a millionaire.

His love for cars was evident by the fact the he enjoyed working on them. He would do all the maintenance on his own vehicles himself and would constantly be reading up on the latest automotive trends. From working at Cal Auto with his father-in-law as an auto importer to being a dock manager at the ports for Nissan to selling Flow Master mufflers, Thumper spent most of his career working in the automotive industry in some capacity.

Thumper was one of the original Trekkies. He loved the show StarTrek so much, he watched every episode and could answer any question about the series. So, when Star Wars came out in 1977, it was only natural that he was a major fan. He saw the movie several times, even taking his mother-in-law, who was not much of a science fiction buff, to see it just so he could watch it one more time.

He loved music and books. If he was not strumming his old guitar or playing the banjo, he enjoyed listening to Abba, The Beach Boys, John Denver, Jan & Dean, The Statler Brothers or The Carpenters. He was also an avid reader. He loved J.R.R. Tolkien so much he named his pet poodle Frodo. He also loved Tony Hillerman which aligned with his interest in Native American culture.

Thumper loved photography. He would always have his prized 35mm camera everywhere he went, waiting to capture that perfect picture. He loved capturing images in nature, waterfalls, roses, rock structures, and moments with his family. Wherever Thumper was, you can be sure there was always a bagful of photos around.

Shortly after his divorce, while living in Petaluma, his next-door neighbor set Thump up on a date with a coworker. It was then that Thumper met the love of his life, Sylvia. A year later they married and he gained a son Stephen. Together with the girls, they had many family adventures bike riding around Petaluma, driving out to the coast in their old Chevy van, and camping trips to Yosemite, Reds Meadows, and Yellowstone. During those van rides he would sometimes serenade Sylvia with “Oh Donna” by Ritchie Valens.

As her parents began to age, Sylvia and Thump decided to move from Petaluma to Coarsegold so they could live closer and assist them. In retirement, they spent time doing what they loved best, traveling. They would continue to camp with friends and family or take Viking cruises to the Netherlands and Prague. They would meet wonderful people on their adventures who would become friends.

They also enjoyed spending time as much time as they could with their grandchildren Theo, Deacon, and Keaton. On one visit, Thumper had the idea to spray some rocks gold and bury them in the rugged terrain on their property. He gave Theo and Deacon shovels and was thrilled when they yelled in excitement as they “struck gold.”

In 2019, Sylvia was diagnosed with cancer and passed away unexpectedly in early 2020. Losing his best friend and the love of his life was a devastation from which he was never able to fully recover. Shortly afterwards, he was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Ever the combatant, he said he was going to fight this disease. He was fortunate enough to meet his granddaughters Ariana and Avery before he progressed too far.

On February 14th, 2024, Valentine’s Day, he lost his battle with Alzheimer’s but was finally reunited with his beloved Sylvia. Thumper leaves behind cherished memories and a legacy of love, resilience, and creativity. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends, yet his spirit lives on in the hearts of all who were touched by his warmth.